Apparatus for molding confections



Jan. 5, 1932. w, WALTER 1,839,719

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING CONFECTIONS Filed Dec. 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1932. w. WALTER APPARATUS FOR MOLDING CONFECTIONS Filed Dec. 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PAr N -FF cE WILLIAM WALTER. OF -NEVT YORK. N. Y., ASSIGNOE '10 RAGINE COIIFECTIONERS MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BIAGINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN APPARATUS non MOLDING conrno'rioivs Application filed December 11, 1928. Serial- No. 325,271.

The present invention relates to molding apparatus and has for an ob ect to provide an improved machine for molding confections or the like.

The invention has been developed in connection with the design of apparatus for molding die-pops and for convenience such an embodiment will be described for the purposes of illustrating the principles involved, but it will be understood that the particular description is illustrative merely and is not intended as defining the limits of the invention.

The nature and objects of the invention will be better understood from a description of a selected embodiment for the purposes of which description reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section on the line II of Fig. 3 of a die and associated mechanism for molding die-pops,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIT of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a side view taken from the right of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a ft knives.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a batch of confection in stick form with a pattern in different colors. V

The apparatus shown for the purposeof illustration comprises one or more dies 5 rotatable about an axis 6 together with means operable successively at different stations for feeding a charge of moldable material to the die, compressing and molding the same, cooling the molded material and ejecting it onto a conveyor. In the construction shown, a batch of confection is molded into stick form by a pair of rolls 7 8 by which it is also fed forward intermittently through a U- shaped guide 9 into the opposite mold 5. The

detail view of one of the cutr charge within the mold is then severed at the face of the die by a pair of thin knives 10., 11 which are moved in opposite directions in the cutting operation by the operation of a lever 12 to which the knife is connected by a link 13 and to which the knife 11 is connected through alink 14, levers and links 15, 16, 17 and 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

"In order that the charge may be severed without distortion it is desirable that the knives should be as thin as possible. To this end the knives are formed of very thin metal with a central aperture, one side of which forms the cutting edge, and their arrangement in the machine provides for a working stroke while they are actuated in tension thus minimizing the tendency to cause a buckling. The knives also are guided at their edges to further prevent distortion. Ordinarily it is not necessary to reinforce the knives as by longitudinal ribs. g

The knife operating mechanism is so timed that the knives move with a very rapid motion to sever the charge. hen the action is sufficiently rapid the batch or charge is severed Without distortion, whereas if the operation is performed more slowly the knives distort the material and destroy the design. It has been found that satisfactory results may be obtained if the cutting operation is performed in approximately one-tenth of. a second. a

The shaft 19 carrying the four dies is rotated by a pawl 20 carried on a rocker 21 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 19 and rocked by a link 22.

Each die comprises a sleeve 25 and a plunger 26 movable therein with a shank 27 projecting into the carrying head and removably retained by a spring pressed pin 28 operating in a slot 29 in the shank 27.

A slot 30 in the plunger provides for engagement with a cam 31 and the end of the plunger engages a'cam 82 whereby the plunger is positively operated during rotation. As the shaft 19 rotates counter-clockwise in Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrow, each plunger is retracted as it approaches the first station where the confection is fed thereto. It re mains in retracted position while the die moves to the second and third positions and 9 is projected to eject the finished confection at the fourth station. At the second station the confection is molded by the plunger 35 acting downwardly thereon, and at this station also a stick 36 is forced into the'molded confection through an aperture in the side of the dieby a slide 38. The die is preferably formed with a' slot 40 to admit the stick which slot may be closed except at the point of entrance of the stick by a projection 41 on the plunger 35. The operating mecha nism should be so timed that the plunger practically completes its operation before the stick is thrust into the molded confection in order that there maybe no side thrust on the stick after it is inserted. At the third station the die and the charge of confection therein are cooled as by an air-blast from-a pipe 42 and at the fourth station the finished die-pop is ejected into a suitable conveyor, the position of which is indicated at 48 in Fig. 1. The earns 31 and 32 may conveniently be formed on the inner end of an arm 45 secured to the frame of the machine and projecting inwardly, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The arrangement described makes possible the feeding of charges of desired size from a partially formed batch in predetermined position. The charge may therefore be composed, for example, of material of different colors or fiavorsarranged in the form of a pattern with assurance that it will be molded in predetermined manner with respect to that pattern. An illustrative example of such a charge is shown in Fig. 5.

The particular arrangement is illustrative merely. Variations in the construction and operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die movable to a plurality of stations of rolls for feeding .a batch of material directly into the die at one station, means for cutting off the fed charge at the face of the die, a plunger operable at another station for molding the charge in the die, and means for forcing a stick into the charge.

2. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die movable to a plurality of stations of means for feeding into the die a batch of material having a predetermined cross-sectional pattern atone station and thereafter cutting oil" the fed charge, a plunger operable at another station for molding the charge in the die, means for forcing a stick into the charge, means for cooling the charge in the die and means for ejecting the charge at another station.

' 3. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die movable to a plurality of stations of means for feeding a batch of material directly into the die at one station and cutting ofi the fed charge at the face of the die, a plunger operable at another station for molding the charge in the die, and means at the second mentioned station for forcing a stick into the charge.

f. In apparatus for molding confections,

the combination with a die rotatable to four stations, of means at one station for feeding into the die a batch of moldable material having a predetermined cross-sectional pat tern and for cutting off the charge in the die, a plunger at another station operable for molding the charge and means at the same station for feeding a stick into the charge, means at another station for cooling the die, and means at the fourth station for ejecting the molded confection.

5. The method of molding confections which comprises forming a batch with a pattern in different colors formed therein, projecting the end of the batch directly into a die in predetermined position, cutting ofi the charge within the die at the face of the die, molding the cut off charge within the die, and forcing a stick into the charge.

6. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die of means for feeding a batch of material into the die and means for cutting off the fed charge comprising thin knives and means for operating. the

ame, said knives operating in tension during the cutting stroke.

7. In apparatus for molding confections,

the combination with a die of means for feeding a batch of material into the die and means for cutting off the fed charge compris ing thin knives guided at their edges and having apertures one side of each of which serves as a cutting edge.

8. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die of feeding rolls for feeding into the die a batch of material formed with a predetermined pattern, a pair of thin flexible knives at the face of the die having apertures through which the batch is fed into the die, means for guiding said knives at their edges and means for operating said knives in tension to cut off the charge fed into the die.

9. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a die rotatable on a horizontal axisto a plurality of stations, of a single pair of feed rolls for feeding a con tinuous strip of confection, a guide tube for guiding the strip of confection directly into the die at one station, means for cutting oil the fed charge at the face of the die, a plunger operable at another station for molding the charge in the die, means for forcing a stick into the charge, and means for ejecting the charge at another station.

10. In apparatus for molding confections, the combination with a rotatable head carrying a plurality of dies movable to four stations, of a plunger in each die movable radially with said head, a stationary plunger moving cam, a single pair of feed rolls for feeding intermittently a continuous strip of confection having apredetermined cross sectional pattern, a guide tube for guiding the strip of confection directly into the die at one station, means for cutting 01? the fed charge at the face of the die at the first station, a plunger operable at another station for molding the charge in the die, and means in the same station for forcing a stick into the charge, means at a third station for cooling the die, and said plunger moving cam operating at a fourth station to eject the charge from the die.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 3rd day of December, 1928.

WILLIAM WALTER. 

